Debbi has dedicated 31 years of her life to the Broward County School system. She’s currently the Maritime Marine Science and Technology Magnet Coordinator at South Broward High School, where she spends a lot of time promoting all the wonderful benefits of the maritime program to potential students. She’s incredibly passionate about education, which is made evident in her recent endeavor: running for the Countywide School Board seat. If elected, Debbi’s focus will be to ensure schools are safe, teachers are valued, mental health is prioritized and communication is at the forefront of all initiatives. 

The Basics:

Hometown: Hollywood FL
Current city: Hollywood FL
Alma mater: Florida State University
Degree: B.S., Biology & Education
Very first job: As a teenager, I worked at the snack bar at Woolworth’s in the mall
Hustle: Marine Science & Technology Magnet Coordinator, South Broward High School

The Interests:

Babe you admire and why?
Michelle Obama, she is so poised and powerful in the way she connects with people. 

Current power anthem?
“Together we are always stronger.”

Favorite place you’ve traveled to?
Hawaii and South Africa

How do you take your coffee?
I don’t drink coffee!

Favorite way to unplug?
Exercise, swim or walk

The Hustle:

Tell us about your hustle.
In addition to being a Maritime Marine Science & Technology Magnet Coordinator at South Broward High School, I am currently running for the Countywide School Board Seat in Broward County, so my days are very hectic. Before the summer, I was working remotely from home, trying to register new students to our school, working on orders for our teachers, and developing two summer virtual camps for our students. Some days I volunteer at various food distribution sites around the county. In the evenings, I attend various meetings to introduce myself as a candidate for the School Board race and listen to the issues that are concerning our community. I usually leave my office to unplug around 10 pm.

Have you always been passionate about education? What led you to pursue work in the industry?
I just completed my 31st year in public education. I love teaching and being a part of students getting excited about learning new things and taking that excitement and doing something with it. I was a Biology major, and at the time, Florida needed more Science teachers, so I was offered a scholarship in exchange for teaching at a public school for at least 4 years.   started my career at Blanche Ely High School in 1989 and fell in love with teaching and coaching, and have been doing it ever since! 

How have your job and roles differed from what they looked like before the pandemic?
My job has changed drastically. Before, I was able to travel around the county to talk to students about South Broward and the programs that we offer. I was also meeting with parents and students on a regular basis to register them for classes. Now, I have to do all of this over the phone and I miss making those personal connections. We do a lot of field trips and offer a summer program, and this year we had to move our program to a virtual platform. I am so happy we can still offer it to our students, but we are all missing the in-person instruction and socialization aspects. 

What motivated you to run for Broward County School Board? If elected, what do you hope to achieve?
I’ve been in the Broward County School System for the last 31 years and have been a leader in my school and community. I’ve advocated for safe schools and better communication between our school board and our teachers, so I knew I had to run for the position to be part of the change. I hope to increase our enrollment by making sure our schools are a safe place for students and staff, making sure our staff is valued and have the resources they need to succeed, increasing the mental health services for our students and staff and improving communication between our district and the community. 

What has your campaign experience been like so far? What advice would you give to a fellow babes looking to venture into politics, and what surprises/challenges have you met along the campaign trail?
It has been quite a challenge to do half of my campaigning during a pandemic; it is so hard to reach voters when you can’t get out and meet them face-to-face. I have mostly enjoyed campaigning. I like meeting people and discussing the issues that are important to them. It’s a lot of hard work and very time-consuming, though, so I would tell fellow babes to be ready to give up all their free time and get ready to do a lot of calling and networking. I’ve found that when running for office, people feel free to tell you anything and everything—good or bad. You have to have very thick skin to do this. 

Do you imagine your job will be different after COVID-19? How so?
Yes, education will now have a virtual component that is never had before. I think we will have to really work on relationships with our students and find new ways to connect with them through the computer.  It is so hard to really connect when you can’t interact in person.

How do you feel about the current education system? What changes do you believe need to be made?
I believe our education system is antiquated; we’re still teaching students the same way as we did back in Industrial Revolution times. Students need to learn skills that will help them in the 21st century, like problem-solving and critical thinking. I think we should start to look at more project-based education and give teachers more autonomy to design curriculums that focus on the subjects at hand, and not on high stakes testing. 

What are some ways that we can support those in your job/industry right now?
Education needs better funding and to be a priority for state and national legislators. Schools should not be constantly wondering if they will have the funding to run the schools each year.

How are you balancing your demanding role right now with your own health + wellness? How do you leave your work “at work” and turn off for the day?
I wish I could say I leave my work “at work,” but since I have been working from home, that is very hard to do. It seems like it follows me to all corners of my house, and it’s hard to just unplug. I do exercise for an hour a day to force myself to get out of the house and de-stress.

How would you say being a woman has affected your professional experience? What can we do to create more equal, uplifting (and well-paying!) spaces for women in your industry?
Most people in the teaching profession are women so I don’t think it has really affected my professional experience. Many of the higher management positions are held by women, so I would say the field is pretty equitable for women.

Career and/or life advice for other babes?
The best advice I can give is that you should always be true to yourself. I’ve learned that you shouldn’t get stuck in muddy bad stuff, or you will never be able to pull yourself out. Life is not always easy, but you should always look for the positives in situations and not give up.  

Connect with Debbi:

Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Email

This interview has been condensed and edited.

In partnership with: Spanx

Created by Sara Blakely—named the world’s youngest, self-made female billionaire by Forbes and one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People—Spanx specializes in comfortable and slimming undergarments, with a mission to shape the world by helping women feel great about themselves and their potential.

*This is an affiliate partnership. That means when you shop using the links we provide, a portion of your purchase comes right back to us, so we can continue creating content that matters. Of course, we only promote brands and products we genuinely stand behind. Thank you so much for your support! Interested in advertising with us? Email us!

Join our community:

Instagram / Facebook / BWH Official Merchandise / BWH Collective